Not less than 16 folks have been killed and 400 injured in Kenya as a nationwide demonstration to honour these killed throughout final yr’s anti-government protests turned chaotic, with police clashing with protesters in several elements of the nation.
Amnesty Worldwide Kenya’s government director, Irũngũ Houghton, instructed Reuters the loss of life toll had been verified by the government-funded Kenya nationwide fee on human rights. “Most were killed by police,” he stated.
A joint assertion from teams supporting the protests stated 83 folks have been significantly injured and no less than eight folks have been being handled for gunshot wounds.
“We pray for our nation, dialogue and a way forward from the political impasse facing Kenya,” stated the assertion from the Regulation Society of Kenya (LSK), the Police Reforms Working Group and the Kenya Medical Affiliation.
Hundreds of Kenyans took to the streets early on Wednesday to pay tribute to greater than 60 individuals who died throughout final yr’s protests, which climaxed on 25 June with an try to storm parliament whereas MPs inside handed laws to boost taxes.
“We face an unfortunate paradox as a country where more lives are being lost as the people seek justice for the lives already lost,” the LSK’s president, Religion Odhiambo, stated on X. “Our hearts break for all the victims of the continued trend of police brutality and excesses.”
In Nairobi, police barricaded main roads a number of kilometres from the central enterprise district and turned away buses and minibuses additional away from town centre. Additionally they blocked off entry to key buildings, together with parliament and the official residence of the president, William Ruto, with razor wire.
Within the metropolis centre, the place many companies have been closed, hundreds gathered for the march, waving Kenyan flags and placards with photos of victims of final yr’s protests.
Others lit road fires and chanted slogans towards Ruto. Later, violence ensued, with police firing teargas and water cannon and hitting protesters with batons, whereas protesters threw stones and different objects.
The deliberate marches additionally developed into clashes between civilians and police within the cities of Mombasa, Nakuru and Kisumu and different elements of the nation. Protesters torched elements of court docket buildings in Kikuyu city in Kiambu county.
The communications authority of Kenya ordered TV and radio stations to cease dwell protection of the protests, threatening those who did not observe the directive with regulatory motion. The TV stations NTV, KTN, K24 and Kameme have been later taken off air.
Lawmakers left parliament buildings in Nairobi, and protests continued to accentuate within the metropolis centre. Elsewhere, throngs of individuals marched alongside main roads in the direction of the capital.
Outrage has been rising in Kenya over the previous few years because of corruption, unemployment, authorities excesses and rising dwelling prices.
Wednesday’s protests come towards a backdrop of demonstrations final yr prompted by proposed tax will increase, wherein dozens of individuals died and lots of extra disappeared.
The road protests decreased over time, however killings, arrests and disappearances continued, triggering extra anger in the direction of the authorities.
Two incidents this month – the loss of life of the trainer Albert Ojwang in police custody after reportedly criticising a senior police official on social media, and the police taking pictures of the seller Boniface Kariuki at shut vary throughout a protest over Ojwang’s loss of life – have additional infected public anger.
Stephanie Marie, a younger protester in Nairobi, stated she was at Wednesday’s march due to Ojwang. “It could be my brother, it could be my cousin, it could be anyone,” she stated. “These are just normal boys, doing normal things.”
She referred to as for leaders to heed what they have been saying: “The people voted. You’re here for the people. You’re working for the people … we just want you to listen to the people. That’s it.”
One other younger protester in Nairobi, Harmless, was commemorating the lack of his pal in final yr’s protests. He stated he’d been uncovered to a variety of teargas from police on Wednesday however he was relentless.
“The youth are unstoppable,” he stated. “Because we’ve come to fight for our rights.” He added: “We don’t want bad leadership.”
